System for the moulding of any material



Feb. 18, 1947.

I LQJ. DUBQIS 415,873

SYSTEM FOR THE MOULDING OF ANY MATERIAL Filed Marqh 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR ORNE Y Feb. 18, 1947. L. J.-DuBo|s SYSTEM FOR mandamus OF ANY MATERIAL Filed March 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE moa LEON JOSEPH ouaols Pai-ented Feb. 18, 1947 2,415,873 SYSTEM son fir-1n MOULDiNG or ANY MA'rERr-AL Lon Joseph Dubois; Paris, France Application March 10, 1945, S eriaLNo. 582,052 In France March'- 25; 1943 (01. iii-2'0) 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to systems of the kind involving the use of moulds or formworks for the mouldin of any material such as concrete (either reinforced or not), metal, plastic material, and so on, for all possible applications, for instance in the building industry and the public works, or for the manufacture of moulded pieces or apparatus of any kind the body and surface of which are to posses different properties. The invention is more especially, but not exclusively concerned with constructions of concrete (either reinforced ornot), suchas elements or portions of buildings, bridges, bridge piers, retaining walls, tanks, etc., and, more especially dams.

The object of the present invention is to provide a system of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than those made up to this time, and in particular such that the expenses of material and labour necessary to its production may be reduced and that a con siderable improvement is ensured concerning re: sistance to various agents, such as external agents, for instance atmospheric conditions, freezing, etc., physical agents, such as dissolu tion, chemical agents, biological agents, involving attacks or transformations of the constitutive material of the structure, with their consequences, such as swelling and so on.

According to a first feature of the present invention, I make use, for constituting the form-' work or mould for the obtainment of the struc-' ture, of elements adapted to be incorporated in said structure (in particular so as to constitute a lining for said structure) as the material of which the structure is made is being poured into the formwork.

According to another feature of the invention, in order to obtain a structure or piece by moulding of a suitable material (metal, plastic matter, concrete, and so on), which structure or piece is be provided with a lining, I make use, for constituting this lining, of elements adapted to be incorporated into the mass of material utilized due to the very fact that this material is poured into the'mould or formwork, these elements being such that they can participate in an intimate way inthe internal work (thrusts or pressures) of said material, and in particular serve to in-' crease the resistance to various agents such as those above stated.

According to still another feature of my invention, in' order to obtain a concrete structure or piece capable of resisting the effects of freezing or any other physical or chemical agents invention, in order to obtain a structure or piece of the kind above stated including a lining made of a plurality of elements jointed together, I perform the packing of the joints from the inside, in such mannerthat the internal pressures which occur inside the mass of material tend ,to compress the matter of said packing inside the joints and thus to improve the fluid tightness of the whole.

Other features of the present invention will result from the following detailed description of some specific embodiments thereof.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by Way of example, and in which:

. Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a lining element, adapted to act for protection against the effects of freezing, to be used, according to the present invention, in the construction of a concrete dam;

Fig. 2 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational View from the rear corresponding to Figs: 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view on a smaller scale of-a portion of a dam incorporating' such elements and made according to an embodiment of the present invention; This view shows a portion of the representeddam in the course of construction, and also indicates another portionof the represented dam having'been completed, a panel-embodying-member being illustrated as incorporated in this completed portion of the dam.

In the following description-it'will be supposed, by way of example and in order to facilitate explanations, that the invention is applied to the construction of a dam, made of concrete, either reinforced or not; and more especially of a dam liable to be subjected to the action of freezing as itis the case in mountains.

First, it should be reminded that; up to the present time, in such constructions; use was made of formworks of the usual type, that is to say completed as concretewas poured so asto follow the rise of the concrete in the formwork, and taken to pieces after setting of the concrete. Such prior method involves an important immobilisation of material and also considerable labour. It also involves risks of lack of homogeneity in the concrete mass due to the fact that a relatively long time elapses when the formwork is to be transferred to a higher level and during this time the pouring of concrete is necessarily interrupted. It should also be noted that formworks employed in such prior method illy withstand the lateral efforts resulting from vibration of the concrete.

On the other hand, it has already been endeavoured to obviate the serious detrimental effects of frost on concrete and for this purpose it has been suggested to provide concrete constructions with suitable linings capable of resisting these efiects. 7

According to the present invention, I proceed in such manner that elements are incorporated in the concrete mass, in the course of the pouring of the concrete in the formwork, which act as portions of the formwork in question and preferably also constitute an anti-frost lining, It should, of course, be well understood that the invention applies as well to the case in which these elements serve only to constitute at least partly the lining of the structure without having any anti-frost action as to the case in which, on the contrary, they act merely as anti-frost lining, without forming part of the formwork.

Supposing that the elements in question are intended to perform both of the functions above stated, each of these elements is for instance constituted by the following portions:

On the one hand, a form of panel I of square or rectangular outline, that is to say of such a shape that the various elements can be juxtaposed to one another in a manner as fluidtight as possible, as shown by Figs. 2 and 4; and

On the other hand, means for securing this panel in position as the concrete mass is rising inside the formwork.

As for these last mentioned means they can be constituted:

(1. Either by a kind of projection or tail 2 extending transversely to the panel on the inner side thereof;

b. Or by several devices of this kind, extending in directions perpendicular or oblique to the panel;

c. Or again in any suitable equivalent manner.

Of course, these anchoring or securing means are preferably given a shape capable of ensuring an auto-stability, that is to say capable of opposing overturning of panel I under the effect of the hydrostatic pressure due to the mass of material poured into the formwork.

It must be noted that this pressure increases as the level of concrete is rising. It is therefore necessary to exert a compensating action, which is for instance ensured:

On the one hand, by the effect of the weight of tail 2, the latter being made sufficiently long for producing a compensating torque; and

On the other hand, and chiefly, by the effect of the adhesion existing between this tail and the mass of concrete as said concrete is being poured into the formwork.

It is therefore obvious that it is advantageous to give this tall a shape such, in the position it occupies when the element is mounted, it extends downwardly from the panel, so that it is possible to obtain, along its foot 3, a very strong adhesion due to the fact that the concrete sets gradually around said foot, thus ensuring a sufficient balancing reaction.

This foot 3 (which will be located, for instance, as shown by Fig. 1 of the drawings, slightly below a plane AB passing through the lower joint between the panel that is being considered and that located immediately below it and is advantageously constituted by the bent end of tail 2) maybe provided with any rojection or the like intended to improve adhesion of the concrete mass. It may rest, during the pouring of concrete, on a bed (of stones, for instance) such as 4.

The body of tail 2 may itself be provided with ribs or other suitable projections with a View to improving adhesion between tail 2 and the mass of concrete.

In this way, I obtain elements which comply with at least one of the conditions above set forth, to wit to constitute portions of the form- Work.

As a matter of fact, it sufilces to iuxtapose these elements, as shown by Figs. 2 and 4 and to pour concrete gradually. The panels are mounted in successive courses and as the mounting of a course is very short, concrete can be poured in a practically continuous manner, thus obviating any danger of lack of homogeneity.

The dimensions of the panels may vary within wide limits. By way of indication, they may be given a size of 1 meter on each side.

The dam, once it has been finished, is thus provided with a lining constituted by panels l, and this lining may further act as protection against the injurious effects of frost.

In order to ensure these anti-frost properties, and also in order to ensure a good fixation of the lining, some supplementary precautions must be taken, for instance the following, which may eventually be applied separately:

First of all, concerning the material to be chosen for constituting the panels I, it will be advantageous to take a concrete or cement of high quality (of course, these panels may be reinforced or not). The tails 2 may themselves be made either of the same material (either reinforced or not) of high quality, or of metal, being in such case, for instance constituted by metallic rods of suitable shape embedded in the mass of concrete of the dam.

Also, according to another feature of the invention, the tails, or their constitutive elements, are made of such shape that they tend to oppose swelling of the concrete of the dam under the effect of frost (or any other internal stresses).

For instance, considering, in Fig. 2, in plan view, the mass of concrete 5 between the tails 2 of two consecutive panels, this mass, when expanding, produces pressures more or less uniformly distributed on the surfaces of said tails.

These pressures P may be resolved into its two component forces such as F1 and F2, one of which is perpendicular to the panel and tends to force it outwardly, while the other is parallel to said panel and produces on the contrary an adhesion which tends to retain the panel in position. Suitable calculation of the section CDE of tails 2 derives the condition that the adhesion forces have a, preponderating action over the expelling forces, of course, the retaining forces produce in tails 2 strains which must be taken into account when designing said tails, for instance by a suitable disposition of reinforcements.

According to still another feature of my invention the joints between the lining elements will be packed from the inside, the opposite to what is usually done.

For this purpose, I will advantageously take ta gers advantage of the pressure existing in the con,- crete mass as a consequence of the pouring of fresh concrete and for any other cause, in order to apply the packing material against thejoints be inserted a suitable shape tending to squeezethe packing material the more tightly as the pres, sure inside the concrete mass is higher.

Finally, the packing means must be preferably placed in position a short time before the pouring;

of the concrete and said means should be, con; stituted by a suitably plastic of hardening.

In the embodiment illustrated by Fig. 2, they panels have bevelled edges 6, on the inner side;

that is to say on the side of the concrete: mass, andv plastic packing means I are inserted,,-before the concrete is poured, between said edges. The packing means in question, when subjected to the; pressure of the concrete mass, will tend to be driven out and its squeezing between bevelled edges 6 will increase fluidtightness of the joint.

Of course, it is advisable to provide any suitable means on the panel for marking them exactly with respect to one another, Suchv means, may include teeth, projections, rests, heels, and,

the like In particular, and as shown by- Figs. 1, 3 and 4, I may provide panels I with heels 8 ensuring stability thereof by resting on the panel located underneath- These heels also, serve,

to obviate the consequences of a mistakein the assembly and to contribute, with the help of a suitable packing, if necessary, in the resistance to the horizontal pressure of the moulded mate-- rial before it has begun to set.

Whatever be the particular embodiment that is chosen, I obtain a system the working of which results sufficiently clearly from the preceding description for making it unnecessary to enter into further explanations. Such a system has, over existing structures of the same kind, many ad-. vantages among which the following are particularly important:

It is quickly set in position, owingto the pan els forming a part of the formwork.

It ensures a better homogeneity, for reasons above set forth.

It is capable of withstanding the forces due.

to vibration of the concrete.

It has a good resistance to frost. It ensures a satisfactory fiuidtightness. The invention also permits of constructing dams by means of concretes which are not so rich.

as those ordinarily used, since resistance to the various destructive agents is ensured by a lining of high quality.

It should also be noted that the method ac.- cording to the present invention also permits of using compressed concretes whenever this; compression is believed to be advantageous, This re? suits from the fact that, owing to the arrangement of panels I and their anchoring meanspall internal pressures imparted to the concrete mass can be compensated,

Finally, as already stated above, it is only to simplify explanations that the preceding description is concerned only, in its more detailed part, to the construction of dams. This should not be interpreted as having any restrictive meaning.

In a general manner, the various essential ideas of the invention can be applied to the construction or the obtainment or all structures or pieces,

material in itsstatus.

therein, especially in view of its physical action,.

for instance dissolution, of its: chemical action, tor tancethe attack. of the wall in question.- by

the liquid, or. of; its biological action, such as transformations, and of the consequences of these.

actionsfor the concrete (swelling) or any other material of which thetank is made.

Inparticulanthe invention is particularly advantageousin, its possible application to the obtainment;v of; tanks intended to contain wine, chemical products, in particular products having acid properties, medicinal products, and so. on.

In order to form the walls of such apparatus or systems, or, in, a more general way, in order. to form anykind of wall, it sufiices. to apply the above stated principles, while giving the panels and their tails or the like dimensions calculated inaccordance with-the thickness of said walls.

In ageneralmanner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and; efficient. embodiments, of the present invention, it should begwell, understood that I do not wishto be limited thereto as. there might be changes made in, the; arrangement, disposition, and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehendedwithin the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1 The method, of, obtaining a structure by moulding of a. mouldable material which comprises, constituting a formwork including a. plurality of elementsgadapted both to act as a porti0n,:of; said. formwork and to form a lining for theifinished structure, said elements each including avertical panel forming a portion of the formwork and an inward tail carriedby said panel andextendingto a, lower level than the lower edge, of-itspanel, pouring themouldable material into: said formwork-ps0 as tov embed the lower end of each; tail in, the mouldable material and thus to fixeachpanel in position, gradually incorporatinggsaid elements in the structure as the mouldablematerialisbeing poured and moulded, jux- I taposing to, each element. and above it another same kind when the mouldable element of'the, materialpoured into the-formwork has reached a given level, again pouring the mouldable material intosaid formwork and proceeding in the same; manner: until the moulded structure has reachedthedesired height.

2. The method of obtaining a structure by moulding of a mouldable material which comprises using a formwork including a plurality of elements each adapted both to act as a portion 01 said formwork and to form a lining for the finished structure, each of said elements including a vertical panel forming a portion of the formwork and an inward tail carried by its panel and extending to a lower level than the lower edge of its panel, pouring the mouldable material terial into the formwork, so that the internal pressure tends to compress said packing in said joints and thus to improve the fiuidtightness thereof, and proceeding in the same manner until the moulded structure has reached thedesired height.

3. A formwork element for the construction'of moulded structures which comprises, in combina-" tion, a panel adapted to act as vertical lining for the finished article, and a tail carried lay-said panel and extending on the inner side thereof down to a level lower than the lower edge of said panel, said tail being adapted to keep, both by its weight and the adhesion thereto of the material forming the mass of the structure and accumulated n the inner side of said panel, the correct positioning of said panel during the moulding operation.

4. A formwork element for the construction of moulded structures which comprises, in combination, a panel adapted to act as vertical lining for the finished article, and a tail carried by said panel and extending on the inner side thereof, down to a level lower than the lower edge of said panel, a foot at the lower end of said tail so shaped as to keep, both by its weight and the adhesion thereto of the material forming the mass of the structure and accumulated on the inner side of said panel, the correct positioning of said panel during the moulding operation.

5. A concrete dam which comprises, in combination, a homogeneous mass of concrete and a plurality of elements incorporated in said mass, said elements including each a panel of high quality concrete, all of said panels being closely juxtaposed so as to form together a continuous lining for one side of said dam, and a concrete tail carried by each panel extending into said mass and embedded therein down to a level lower than the lower edge of the corresponding panel, so as to constitute anchoring means for said panel in said mass, the edges of said panels being bevelled on the inner side thereof, and packing means in the wedge-shaped spaces formed between the adjacent edges of consecutive panels.

6. A concrete dam which comprises, in combination, a homogeneous mass of concrete and a plurality of elements incorporated insaid mass, said elements including each a panel of high quality concrete, all of said panels'being closely juxtaposed so as to form together a continuous lining for one side of said dam, and a concrete tail carried by each panel extending into said mass and embedded therein,,down to a level lower than the lower edge or" the corresponding panel, so as to constitute anchoring means for said panel in said mass, the shape of each of said tails beingso calculated that the elementary pressures of said mass of concrete on the Wall of said tail have components tending to maintain the panel in position more important than the components tending to expel said panel.

7. The method of obtaining a structure by moulding of a mouldable material which comprises using a formw ork including a plurality of elements each having a panel adapted to act both as a portion of the formwork and as a lining for the finished structure, and each element further having an inwardly and downwardly extending, convergently tapering, weighted tail carried by its panel, supporting each tail so as to keep its panel in substantial vertical position when the mouldable material in fluid status is poured around each tail, pouring the mouldable material into the formwork to embed the tail of each panel within the mouldable material, whereby the inward and downward extension of each tail together with its weight ensures hydrostatic balancing of each panel in its set position, and repeating the above operations until the moulded structure has reached the desired height.

8. The method of obtaining a structure by moulding of a, mouldable material which comprises using a formwcrk including a plurality of elements each element including a panel adapted to act both as a portion of the formwork and as a lining of the finished structure, each element having an inwardly and downwardly extending, convergently tapering tail carried by its panel, the panels of said elements being of substantially duplicate rectangular configuration, positioning the rectangular panels of said elements in close contiguity of their respective panel edges, supporting the tail of each element so as to maintain its panel in substantial vertical position when the mouldable material in fluid status is poured about the tail of each element, inserting a packing into the joints of the respective juxtaposed panels of said elements, pouring the mouldable material into the formwork so as to embed the tail of each element in the mouldable material to thereby ensure hydrostatic balancing of each panel in its set position and to compress the packing in the stated joints, and repeating the above operations until the moulded structure has reached the desired height.

LEON JOSEPH DUBOIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

